What is the definition of Jeremiah 7:23? ๐ ๐
But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
Explanation:
Okay, letโs break down this verse from Jeremiah 7:23. Itโs a pretty powerful and complex message about obedience and consequences. Here's a simplified explanation:
What it means in plain language:
โJeremiah says, โI am commanding you to obey me, and I will be your God, and you must follow everything ๐I๐ tell you, and do what ๐I๐ want.๐โ Basically, heโs telling them to completely surrender to him and do exactly what he says.โ
Let's unpack it into smaller pieces:
๐
โJeremiah saysโฆโ
: This tells us the verse is from the book of Jeremiah.
๐
โโฆI am commanding you to obey meโฆโ
: This is the core of the message. Jeremiah is setting a strict rule โ he wants everyone to listen to him.
๐
"...and I will be your God, and you shall be my people..."
: This is where it gets interesting. Heโs redefining what being โGodโ means ๐for them๐. He's saying he wants them to become completely devoted to him, just as a true believer is devoted to God.
๐
"...and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded youโฆโ
: This is the key part โ heโs giving them a detailed list of rules and expectations. Heโs telling them ๐exactly๐ what they must do.
๐
"...that it may be well unto you.โ
: This means โit will be good for themโ or โit will benefit them.โ
What's the big picture?
Jeremiah is essentially saying that this group of people has been messing up and disobeying Godโs commands, and he wants to punish them by forcing them to follow his strict rules exactly. He believes that if they truly embrace his authority, it will lead to a better future for them.
Important Context:
This verse comes after a period of serious rebellion and idolatry (worshiping other gods). Jeremiah is using this to call them back to faithfulness and repentance. Itโs a warning about the dangers of ignoring God's guidance.
In short, itโs a command for complete obedience, with the potential for significant consequences if they fail to comply.
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Do you want me to:
๐ Explain this verse in more detail?
๐ Give an example of how this verse might have been used in the past?
๐ Discuss what it could mean for us today (perhaps relating it to modern challenges)?